SOUNDS LIKE MARLBOROUGH
Imagine a getaway where food, wine, scenery, and a touch of adventure all meld into one brilliant experience – where you can find the quintessential Kiwi family holiday as easily as a blissful retreat for two. A place where within minutes after arriving in the region, you’re tasting incredible wines at a celebrated cellar door. By evening, you are nestled in a remote waterfront resort, enjoying a gourmet dinner of local produce surrounded by nothing but natural beauty and tranquillity. Welcome to Marlborough, where all the best ingredients for a brilliant holiday are in one amazing, easy to get to place.
IN THE SOUNDS
The brilliant Marlborough Sounds. Walk a section of the Queen Charlotte Track and marvel at the brilliant views or experience the rush of mountain biking New Zealand’s longest dual-purpose track. Fish for your dinner in the deep waters of the outer Marlborough Sounds, or cruise the calm bays – try swimming with dolphins or sailing on a yacht. Perhaps board Marlborough’s original farm to plate experience, the Greenshell Mussel Cruise, a sumptuous feast of food, wine, and scenery.
WINE COUNTRY
Stay for the wine. Discover the many varieties that flow year-round at the cellar doors, which together create a brilliant wine experience like no other. Although it is New Zealand’s largest wine region, this is still a place where winemakers will pop in for a chat with visitors, behind-the-scenes knowledge is readily shared, and the stories are authentic and always fascinating. Consider taking a guided tour with those who know and love this fascinating industry – the locals.
AVIATION HISTORY
Do not miss the unforgettable Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre. It boasts a treasure trove of historic aircraft and artefacts from both World Wars, including those from Sir Peter Jackson’s private collection, all dramatically displayed in lifelike dioramas by Wingnut Films and Weta Workshops. Authentic and rare WWI relics, featuring personal items belonging to the Red Baron himself, are skilfully placed into recreated scenes from actual war incidents. Ride in a Russian fighter or cruise in a vintage Stearman over the Marlborough landscape – surely a bucket list activity.
CULTURE
Marlborough has a rich and long history. Visit Ship Cove/Meretoto in the outer Queen Charlotte Sound/Tōtaranui. Accessible by boat from Picton with Cougar Line or Beachcomber, Ship Cove/Meretoto is where Captain James Cook made the first onshore encounter between Māori and Europeans in 1770 when he landed his ship Endeavour. Stay and explore the interpretive signs and walk to the nearby waterfall before catching the boat back.
EAT + DRINK
Isolated Endeavour Inlet, Bay of Many Coves, Punga Cove, and Furneaux Lodge are spectacular spots for lunch or dinner, easily reached from Picton by water taxis Cougar Line or Beachcomber, private boat, or via the Queen Charlotte Track. Enjoy ‘The MANY’ with wine match at Arbour, or revel in a charcoal oven experience like no other at Harvest Restaurant. Linger around long lunches at cellar doors including Saint Clair Vineyard Kitchen, Wither Hills, Wairau River Cellar Door and Restaurant, or head to The Wine Kitchen and trust the chef to delight your senses.
WHERE TO STAY
Queen Charlotte Sound/Tōtaranui, Furneaux Lodge, and Punga Cove are beautifully set among the native bush, in Endeavour Inlet. Bay of Many Coves offers five-star luxury on the water’s edge. Nestled between stunning native bush in a secluded part of the Queen Charlotte Sound, you will find an oasis of world-class cuisine, breath-taking scenery, and adventure. For those seeking the central buzz, there’s Blenheim’s newest luxe stop, 14th Lane Urban Hotel.